Friday August 23, 2013, 12:32 am
I’m sad to report that ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council) is celebrating their 40th birthday. Every year ALEC survives is a sad year for America, because ALEC is the place Koch suckers go to scheme and draft cookie cutter, plugin legislation to deprive African, Latino, Asian, Gay, Lesbian, Transgender, female, working, senior, studying, poor, middle class, other and especially voting Americans of their Constitutional rights. The news from their birthday party is most foul.

Friday August 23, 2013, 2:59 am
Thanks TC – do you know, I am mildly dyslexic, and I truly read "The few quotes that have trickled out from inside the ALEC meeting are revolting…" not as the piece said "The few quotes that have trickled out from inside the ALEC meeting are revealing…" – but then, they would be – and they were!

Could I ask – isn't "a group called Citizens for Self Governance " likely to be arraigned by someone in the Justice Dept or whatever for sedition? Surely 'Self Governance' is going to split up the United States into individual states – which just HAS to be against the Constitution – doesn't it?

Kudos to Chris Taylor – who obviously has a stronger stomach than I – and who found this -

" "How do we utilize the John Birch Society for this effort?"

Wisconsin Rep. Chris Taylor, a Democrat who infiltrated the ALEC meeting, recounted a conversation with a private sector ALEC member who also was advocating a constitutional amendment to rein-in the federal government. He told her:

“You really don’t need people to do this. You just need control over the legislature and you need money, and we have both." "

Friday August 23, 2013, 12:53 pm
We need to go back in history ... to the 50s and 60s ... and see how The John Birch Society was defeated then. Because that is what is at the heart of this movement to take our country from us. And if we don't get it stomped out now? Too scary to go there for me. ALEC shouldn't even be legal.

Saturday August 24, 2013, 12:53 am
Sometime over the last few weeks I seem to remember saying that we were being split in too many directions - of course it's been done on purpose. "...divide and conquer..." Very telling. Now we need to figure out what the real game plan here is. Right. I know, a bit too much; thinking too big. Sigh.

Saturday August 24, 2013, 1:55 am
"You really don’t need people to do this. You just need control over the legislature and you need money, and we have both.”

Yeah, that's about right. This ugly "organization" of hate-filled fools has been lying in wait for the Tea Party for 40 years, until the Tea Party coup in 2010, their money didn't matter, they couldn't get any traction for their repression. I hope that the 2014 elections sweep out the Tea Party Governors and the 2016 elections, the 2010 Tea Party Senators and this bunch goes back into the closet where they can play pin the tail on the donkey with real pins in their dark little closets the country over forever, never again seeing the light of day. This is why the 2016 Democratic candidate for President MUST be electable, I'm not sure that is Hillary, I think her day has passed, we need a fresh face, a woman unafraid of the dark forces that run this country's economy and far too many legislatures and governor's offices now.

We truly need Elizabeth Warren in the Senate but a woman like her is what we need as our candidate in 2016 too. Eminently electable, brilliant and evincing great compassion for those in this country, and the world, who need it most. The Republicans will be offering up more of the same and it is time they move to the back benches, their 15 minutes of shame over.

Saturday August 24, 2013, 4:23 am
II agree with Gene again (no surprise there); the only way to get rid of ALEC is by bringing the GOP to normal proportions and with the amount of influence they deserve, i.e. none. Cut them down to back-bench proportions and ALEC will have no way to get their legislature through. Then they'll learn the hard way they do need people, even if it's their bought Republicans.

Unless there are enough Democrats who'll take their money instead. Can you be sure of any politician to be above the big money? $%& I've just killed my own argument, ALEC doesn't need people after all.

Sunday August 25, 2013, 6:09 pm
Gene, I like what you said, but think that TC is right about the campaigning: it is going to be BRUTAL. these bastards know that the only way they are still in control of the House relates to their gerrymandering. Progressives and regular Dems will have to be out on the hustings on steroids.
I also like Deb E's idea about finding out what happened to deflate the John Birch Society, in case that may be of use.Sadly, Lona, too many politicians , of any stripe, can be counted on to suck up to the money flow.